Travel creates connections, sometimes transient, sometimes more powerful and lasting than one anticipates. I first met Arai Manta san when I was in college. I had seen a tea ceremony once during my freshman year travels in Japan, and was introduced to him by my college program. He was a relatively new instructor, having kindled his own love affair with Japanese culture after a rebellious youth of Blues Music, and interest in Harley-Davidson Motorcycles, and American culture. When I first met him, he was still moonlighting as a bartender in a Blues Bar at night.
I'll leave the full story of Manta-san and my early days for another post, but for now suffice to say that we developed a strong teacher-student relationship founded on mutual respect and aligned philosophy.
This has since developed in the intervening 26 years into a close friendship. I've become "Greg Ojisan" (Uncle Greg) to his wonderful daughter and friend to his amazing wife.
The deep respect has only grown over the years, and though he is a simple temple gardener and tea teacher, I hold Manta in high regard as somewhat of a Philosopher King. His understanding of human interaction is a wonder to behold. The job of a Tea Master is to "build harmony" (wa wo tateru)in the tea room, to facilitate the creation of a "once in a lifetime moment that will never come again." In this moment of aesthetic appreciation, the singular purpose is to do nothing more than enjoy a cup of tea together. This is easier said than done. After all, when was the last time you weren't multitasking? This was never more on display than one year, we packed 14 people into a room designed for 8 at his house, and the extra weight collapsed his for mid ceremony. That he finished the ceremony without missing a beat was one feat of social grace, that he managed to do it in a way that not one of us felt badly that we had broken his house, and it was still a beautiful experience, was superhuman.
More than anyone I've ever known, he lives a life according to the principles of tea: wa(harmony), kei (respect), sei(purity), and jaku(tranquility). Philosopher Okakura Tenshin would call him a "man with too much tea in him."
I met with him a few days ago. He's already thinking about and planning the tea ceremony for our visit. His "side gig" has transitioned from bartender to temple gardener at Honen-in temple, where he has become a part of that community. He's offered to host our tea ceremony there at the temple, in an area not open to the public, drawing the tea water from the sacred spring in the temple garden, and surrounded by the beauty he maintains.
I've been lucky enough to sit in a tea room with Manta-san dozens of times. Each time, I've learned something, and each time has been beautiful. I can't wait to introduce him to you. He's waiting for us...
Comments